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High King Hrothgar Halkjellson Yngling
Name: Hrothgar Halkjellson Yngling Title: High King of the Frozen North Age: 36 Ethnic Origins: Nordic. Believed to be descended from the oldest Nordic Kings but given the dubious nature of surviving records this is uncertain. Appearance: The Hrothgar looks much as one would expect the High King to look. His fiery red hair and his equally magnificent beard, the edges of his hawk-like nose, his eyes blue as the seas of the Far North, his muscular build formed by years of training and battle. These are the features that bards write sagas of, and the Nords would tolerate little else from their king. He towers over most men at 6’2’’ and the vast fur Mantle of Kings only enhances the effect. The image is very deliberate. Even small things may help keep a king on the throne in the treacherous North. Equipment: The raiment of a king is no small thing, least of all for kings in the North. His armor is a fine chainmail hauberk with chausses and coif. Over this is a scale breastplate and gauntlets made to imitate the dragon scales that represent his throne. His helmet is often considered the most impressive part the suit. Its visor is shaped like a mask that depicts the face of the All-Father. With it, Hrothgar often wears a cloak with the blue and sliver colors of the Crown. He has numerous weapons, though most are carried by thanes and servants. In battle he needs a lance, shield, javelins, bow, and arrows. However, his most notable weapons are the battle axe Wolfsbane and the long sword Wyrmstongue. Wyrmstongue is said to be an artifact from the old kings. A masterwork blade forged with the sorcery of the dragons. Hrothgar believes in this, if nothing else. When not in battle, it is customary for him to wear an arming sword. Biography: Hrothgar grew up as the only son of one of the most powerful noble houses in Volgaland. From his father he learned the arts of war and from his unusually educated and intelligent mother he learned higher arts. He became literate, a rare ability even for nobility, in both Nordic and Imperial script. He read history, poetry, and philosophy from both cultures. It would take too long to recount the political machinations between his own family and others during this time, but suffice to say that these too he learned from. He learned of manipulation, alliances, honor, and its absence in the world of politics. When the old king died, he was one of many contenders for the throne. By tradition, a tournament would be held in Akershus, the ancient city of kings. On the road to Akershus, Hrothgar met a wandering shaman from the hinterlands. Upon asking him if he was traveling to see the new king the shaman replied, “I already have.” He explained a vision in which Hrothgar was embraced by the old kings as kin and hailed as a conquering warrior. The shaman then gave him Wyrmstongue before vanishing down the road. Hrothgar embraced this as a sign from the gods and at the tournament immediately challenged the most renowned warrior. He was victorious, and rather than face him the other contenders swore fealty to him. He was soon crowned and like all other Nordic kings was given the family name of Yngling, the name that designated him as royalty. LONG LIVE HROTHGAR! LONG LIVE THE KING! Personality: The combined upbringing of his parents instilled Hrothgar with a desire to live up to the Nordic ideals of a warrior king. While not above using deception when necessary, he tries to live as an honorable king would. He is enthralled by the mystery and power of the old kings and dreams of matching their glory. Trivia: Yngling is not his actual clan. When Nordic kings are crowned they become kin to all kings who have gone before them. They leave their own clan and become part of the royal clan Yngling. Hrothgar remains unmarried to this day. This is a political move, as it keeps the possiblity of alliance by marriage alive for all of the noble houses. The lesser need for heirs in the Nordic Kings make this strategy possible. Under previous kings the old road systems had begun to fall into disarray. Hrothgar worked to ensure that the highways were kept in good condition and free of bandits. Category:King Category:Northman Category:Nordic Empire Category:Volgaland